Lubrication of traveler guiding rings



Aug. 28, 1956 G. F. ALBRECHT LUBRICATION OF TRAVELER GUIDING RINGS Filed March 5, 1954 [7206 72507 EjflZZraa Cow/MM United States Patent LUBRICATION 0F TRAVELER GlNG RINGS George F. Albrecht, Saco, Application March 5, 1954, Serial No. 414,358

13 Claims. (Cl. 57-120) This invention relates to spinning and twisting frames used in the preparation of yarn or thread and relates more especially to means for lubricating the traveler guiding rings, such as disclosed in my pending application for patent, Serial No. 234,386, filed June 29, 1951, and now abandoned, of which this application is a continuation-in-part.

There is disclosed in the aforesaid application a conduit removably attached to the rail of a spinning frame which is supplied with oil at one end by a supply container and has along it a plurality of openings corresponding in number to the respective ring assemblies. A feeder tube is fixed to the conduit at each opening with an end coaxial with the opening and another end in close proximity to the ring assembly with which it is associated. Within each tube and extending continuously therethrough from end to end is a wick, one end of which dangles from the end of the tube attached to the conduit into the oil in the conduit and the other end of which projects from the opposite end of the tube into oil transferring relation with the ring assembly.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a lubricating apparatus embodying all of the advantageous characteristics of the foregoing application for patent, and in addition improvements in construction which make it possible to renew or replace individual feeder tubes and their wicks Without discarding the entire conduit and replacing it, which makes it possible to renew the wick easier and to adjust the position of the wick in its feeder tube with a greater degree of certainty as to whether the take-up end of the Wick is actually submerged in the oil in the conduit or not, which makes it possible to adjust the depth of the feeder tube with respect to the bottom of the conduit and to locate its position definitely with respect thereto, without crushing the wick which makes it possible to move the feeder tube with respect to the ring assembly so as to locate its oil delivery end at a point most advantageous to delivering of oil to the ring assembly, which makes it easier and cheaper to manufacture and which is reliable, durable and eificient in operation.

As in the aforesaid application for patent, the apparatus includes a conduit removably attached to and extending along one edge of the frame rail which is supplied with lubricant at one end by a supply container located above the axis of the conduit. The conduit has along it a plurality of openings corresponding in number to the respective ring assemblies and in accordance with the present invention a stand pipe is made fast to the conduit at each opening to which is fitted a tube for transmitting oil from the conduit to the ring assemblies. Each stand pipe is coaxial with its opening and has a portion projecting upwardly therefrom and a portion projecting into the conduit, the lower end of which is beveled and the apex of which rests on the lower wall of the conduit. A feeder tube is fitted to each stand pipe having a portion extending through the stand pipe into the conduit with its lower end terminating short of the lower "ice extremity of the stand pipe and another portion disposed at an angle thereto which extends toward the ring assembly opposite which it is disposed. The feeder tube is both removably and swivelly fitted to the stand pipe so that its angularly disposed end may easily be removed and replaced when there is need for it and so that it may be swung in an arch with reference to the axis of the stand pipe as a center thereby facilitating locating the end of the feeder tube at the most advantageous point for delivery of lubricant to the ring assembly with which it is associated. A wick extends through the feeder tube from.

end to end, with one end dangling from the inner end of the feeder tube through the stand pipe into the oil in the conduit and its other end projecting from the opposite end of the feeder tube into oil transferring relation with the ring assembly. The junction between the end of the tube swiveled in the stand pipe and the angularly disposed position thereof, provides a shoulder which may be engaged with the top of the stand pipe to limit the vertical position of the feeder tube with reference to the,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section generally similar to Fig. 3, but showing a slight modification, the traveler guiding ring being omitted;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the oil feeder tube showing its swiveled connection to the conduit;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the conduit showing the swiveled connection for the oil feeder tube;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a modified structure for supplying oil to the ring; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section generally similar to Fig. 8, of alternative construction.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the ring rail of a spinning or twisting frame constituting a support for a series of ring assemblies 2. These ring assemblies may be of any usual type or construction, although preferably the traveler guiding ring is of the oilpervious type disclosed, for example, in the patent to.

Albrecht No. 2,502,116, filed March 28, 1950. The ring rail '1, as illustrated in Figs. 3, 8 and 9, by way of example, is a cast metal rail and, as illustrated in Fig. 8, each ring assembly may be, for example, of the general type disclosed in greater detail in Patent 2,588,193, issued on March 4, 1952. This particular ring assembly comprises a supporting annulus 3 of sheet metal having a bottom wall 4 which rests on the upper surface of the ring rail and an outer, upright annular wall 5. The traveler guiding annulus 6 has a flat lower surface which rests on the bottom 4 of the supporting annulus, and is of an external diameter such as to fit snugly within the annular upstanding Wall 5. This traveler guiding annulus is of porous material and shaped to provide the traveler guiding surfaces 7 and 8. At its lower outer edge the traveler guiding annulus 6 is beveled or cut away as more fully disclosed in the above Patent 2,588,193, so as to provide an annular recess 9 which, together with the bottom and upright walls of the supporting annulus, provides an annular oil-receiving channel extending all of" the way around the ring assembly.

in the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1, Z,v '3, and 4, each ring assembly is provided with an individual oil reservoir 1t) which may be integral with the supporting annulus of the ring assembly and which is usually provided with a cover 11 to prevent the entrance of dust. This cover may be fixed position or it may be arranged to be swung to one side to give access to the interior of the reservoir. From the reservoir it! an oil passage 110 extends inwardly as illustrated in my Patent No. 2,618,116 for conducting oil fromthe reservoir tothe traveler guidin'g annulus.

An oil conduit 12 is arranged to extend along one edge of the ring rail as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, being adjacent to that edge of the rail which is nearest to the reservoirs 10. This conduit is a straight length of pipe, for example, copper tubing, and of suitable dimensionsto insure an adequate supply of oil, for example, it may be tubing 'of an outside diameter of the order of A inch. As illustrated in Fig. 8, of the aforesaid pending application, the axis of this conduit 12 is above the upper surface of the ring rail 1, although it is not necessary that it be: above the upper surface of the ring rail, as shown herein, for example in Figs. 3 and 8, where it is arranged below the upper surface of the ring rail. This conduit 12 is fixed in position by brackets 13 secured, for example, by bolts 14 to the ring rail. Preferably, these brackets are so shaped as to embrace the conduit 12 to an extent such that the conduit cannot escape from the brackets. However, if desired, the conduit may be otherwise secured to the brackets, for example, by brazing', solder or set screws. The conduit 12 is preferably of approximately the length of the ring rail and being thus secured to the ring rail becomes, in eflect, a part of the ring rail and may be moved about with the ring rail when the latter is removed from the frame, for example, for cleaning.

At. one end of the ring rail there is provided an oil supply container 15 (Fig. 1) which may be of substantial capacity, for example, large enough to hold oil. 'suflici'ent for a period of a Week or more, this container being so arranged that its bottom is at least as high as the upper surface of the ring rail, the container being" connected to the conduit 12 by means, including a pipe union 16, whereby the conduit 12 may, at will, be disconnected from the supply container. The supply container is supported in any suitable. way, for example, by a bracket (not. shown) attached to one end of the spinning frame structure. While as here illustrated the supply container 15 is arranged at oneend only of the ring rail, it is contemplated that a similar container may be provided at the opposite end of the ring rail, particularly if the spinning frame be of great length, and in that case the conduit 12 will be provided with a pipe union 16a (Fig. 1) at the opposite end from the union 16; If no such second supply container is provided, the end of. the conduit remote from the supply container will be closed by a cap or plug.

At a convenient point adjacent to each of the respective ring assemblies, the conduit 12 is provided with a hole, preferably at its top, through which oil may escape into a small feeder pipe 17 designed to conduct oil from the conduit 12 to each respective ring assembly. Each feeder pipe 17 is preferably made from a length of tubing, for example, copper tubing, of smallinternal diametor, for instance an internal diameter of /6 inch. Having cut this tubing to the desired length, there is threaded throughthis straight piece of. tubing a length of wicking braid. This braid consists of inter-braided yarns, eachconsisting :of very fine glass fibers, the yarns being eoncatenated by a braiding operation, thus resulting in the formation of a cord of a normal diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the tubing sothat it may be drawn through the tubing easily, although nearly filling the interior of the tube. After this cord hasbeen drawn through the length of tubing, it is cut so as to provide portions projecting from each end of the tubing and each end portion is knotted. Outwardl-y, beyond the knots, the

cord is frayed out as shown at 25 and 25a respectively, the knots preventing the fraying from extending beyond them. Having prepared this length of tubing with its braided wick cord, the tubing is then bent, as may be necessary to accommodate it to the particular type of ring assembly with which it is to be associated. For example, as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7, the tubing is bent to provide a horizontal portion 18, a vertical leg 19 and a second vertical leg 20, thus being of substantially inverted U-shape in its form. The legs 19 and 20 may. be of the same length or of different lengths or the leg '20 may be entirely omitted, as show in Figs. 8 and 9. Moreover, the horizontal portion 18 may be bent as illustrated in Figs. 1-, 2 and 3'.

In accordance with thepresent invention, the feeder pipe 17 is now removably and swivelly connected to the conduit 12, in contrast to the foregoing application wherein the feeder pipe is brazed or soldered to the conduit 12. To this end, a short tubular stand pipe 30 (Fig. 7) is fitted to each of the holes in the conduit 12 and brazedor soldered thereto with a portion 32 projecting upwardly therefrom and another portion 34 extending downwardly into the conduit. While the stand pipe is illustrated as brazed or soldered to the conduit it could just as well be threaded to it or frictionally fitted in place. Preferably, the lower end of the stand pipe is beveled to provide a lateral opening 35' at its lower end and an apex edge 36. As thus constructed, when the stand pipe is inserted in the conduit the apex will bear against the bottom of the conduit thereby limiting the distance it can be thrust into the conduit and hence will prevent thrusting the lateral open?- ing 35 into such close contact with the bottom: of the conduit as to obstruct free how of oil to the lower end of the stand pipe. Having fastened a stand pipe to each hole in the conduit, the one end 19 of the feeder pipe 17 is placed in registry with the upper end of a stand pipe with'which it is to be associated and pushed downwardly through the stand pipe until the curved part of the tube adjacent the shoulder 37 at the junction of the vertical portion 19, with the horizontal portion 18, binds against the upper end of the stand pipe. The vertical portion '19 of the feeder pipe is made shorter than the length of the stand pipe so that when the feeder pipeis thrust as far into the stand pipe as it will go, its lower 'end will terminate short of the apex 36 of the stand: pipe and hence. will be elevated from the bottom of the tube a prudetermined amount. Preferably, the length of. the stand: pipe and feeder pipe are so proportioned that the lower end of the feeder pipe will terminate approximately mid way between the extremities of the. bevel at the: lower end of thestand pipe. This prevents forcing the: lower endsof the feeder tube against the bottom of the conduit and hence. choking the end of the wick. projecting therefrom intothe conduit. The. horizontal leg 18 off the feeder tube is long enough to stretch from the conduit. 12,, to its associated ring assembly for supporting the opposite end of the wick in a position to deliver lubricant tothe reservoir at the ring assembly, for example, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, so that; the wick. projects down into the reser voir 10. If the cover 11 of the reservoir isa fixed cover it may have a hole for the passage of the" leg 20 or. the leg 20 may extend down to the; cover and be fitted tothe hole therein. If the cover be one which may be swung. aside, then the COVerls provided with a slot 26; (Fig; 2), for the accommodation of. the leg 2% of the pipe.

may be adjusted; within limits to position it mostadvantageously with respect to the ringassembly or its reservoir for delivering 'oil thereto and that it is not necessary to use the care in fastening the feeder pipes to the conduit, as required in: the pending application, so-

that they will be exactly opposite therespective reservoirs. Furthermore, by frictionally engaging the feeder tubes with the stand pipes they mayreadily be removed when itbecomes necessary to replace a tube, for. example,,by,

reason of damage to the tube, clogging due to dirtor renewal of the wicks if they become so filled with lint or extraneous matter as to block the tubes. This replacability of the feeder tubes is a distinct advantage over the lubricating apparatus of the pending application, because when the latter was damaged or obstructed in part, the whole apparatus had to be removed and replaced.

Another advantage mentioned before but not emphasized in particular, is since the feed tube is swingable its oil transferring end may be adjusted within fairly wide limits so that if there is some variation in the spacing of the tubes or ring assemblies these inequalities in spacing can be compensated for by the adjustment of the ends of the feeder tubes.

A still further advantage of considerable importance is in the construction of the stand pipe and feeder tube so that the stand pipe limits the lowermost position of the wick. This prevents inadvertent choking 05 of the wick which might retard delivery of oil to the ring assembly to such an extent as to cause damage and at the same time insures inserting the feeder tube far enough into the conduit to be sure that the wick dangles in the oil and is not above it which would be equally damaging.

If the ring assembly be of the type shown in Figs. 8 and 9, that is to say without an individual reservoir, other than its annular oil channel, then the upright wall 5, for example, of supporting annulus is provided with a hole leading to the annular oil channel provided by the recess 9 and the pipe 17 (in this case comprising only the parts 13 and 19) will be arranged so that the end of the part 13 is in registry with the hole in the wall 5. The end may be held in registration with the hole in the wall either by frictional engagement with the wall or some other suitable means, for example, the end may be reduced to provide a nipple which may be sprung into the hole or a rubber washer may be fitted to its end which will frictionally resist displacement of the end once it is placed in registration with the hole. Alternatively, the wall 5 may be provided with a vertical groove in its face for slidably receiving the end of the tube, the groove originating at the top of the wall and extending down to and terminating at the hole. In this case the Wick will extend from the interior of the conduit 12 into the annular channel in the ring assembly.

In Figs. 4 and 5, a sheet metal ring 1a is illustrated, the conduit 12 being secured to this ring rail by the bracket 13 and the bolt 14a.

As pointed out in my pending application for patent, it has been discovered that a wick cord braided from Fiberglas yarn has a very high degree of capillarity, as compared with Wicks of most materials. While the reason for this is not definitely known it may result from the fact that the individual glass fibers are very smooth and highly polished and are not absorbent of the oil, so that when wet with the oil they do not swell. Thus the interstices between the fibers do not change in size and the free capillary flow of oil longitudinally of the cord is unimpeded. Such a wick is also highly desirable for the reason that it is not injured when subjected to the action of the acids, alkalis or other media commonly used in the cleaning of spinning frames. Since machinery in a spinning room is customarily exposed to dust and fly and often operates under high-temperature atmospheric conditions and must be kept well lubricated by reason of extremely high speed at which it runs, it is necessary at frequent intervals, to subject the ring rails, in particular to a thorough cleaning operation which may involve boiling the entire ring rail in a cleansing solution. Under these conditions oil-conducting wicks of organic materials often disintegrate or are so changed in character that they are useless for their intended purpose, thus making it necessary to supply the ring assemblies with new wicking. This is a slow and expensive operation. As contrasted with this, the braided wick of glass fiber yarns, as here provided, is not injuriously afiected or disintegrated by 6 the cleaning materials employed and thus, having once been installed, it may remain in use substantially indefinitely regardless of the number of cleaning operations to which it is subjected, while maintaining its initial degree of capillarity.

With the arrangement described, oil flows by gravity from the supply container 15 along the entire length of the ring rail and is picked up by the wick within the feeder pipes 17 and led by capillary action either into the reservoir 19, corresponding to each ring assembly, or directly to the traveler guiding assembly, if the latter be of the type more specifically illustrated in Fig. 8. Thus, with this arrangement it is unnecessary to employ pumps or other mechanically driven parts or, in fact, any moving parts, for insuring a constant supply of lubricant to each traveler guiding assembly. However, it is to be observed that the supply of oil to each traveler guiding ring is by a capillary action and that in no case is it possible for oil from the supply container 15 to flow in an unobstructed stream to the traveler guiding ring so that over-supply of oil is prevented. Even though the conduit 12 were above the level of the reservoir 14 nevertheless the arrangement of the feeder pipe 17 is such that oil will not flow freely into the reservoir, being blocked by the wick which so nearly fills the interior of the pipe 17 as to prevent any free flow of oil along the pipe, except as the oil passes through the interstices of the wick. Thus, over lubrication of the ring is avoided.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 9, the annulus 3x is a casting (rather than of sheet metal as shown in Fig. 8) having the bottom wall 4x and the upright outer wall 5x, the latter being of substantial thickness. This wall 5x has vertical, internally screw threaded bores for the reception of retaining screws T whose heads overlie the base portion of the traveler guiding annulus 6, thus removably holding the latter in assembled relation with the supporting annulus 3x.

To sum up, the primary distinction and advantageous characteristics of the present invention over that of the pending application as heretofore pointed out resides in removably attaching the feeder tubes to the conduit so that they may be moved and replaced either for the purpose of renewing them, or renewing and replacing wicks which have become clogged due to long use, or cleaning both the tubes and wicks; the swivel arrangement of the feeder tubes which permits swinging the tubes so that their oil delivery ends may be located in positions which are most satisfactory for oil delivery and in the means for limiting the lowermost position of the lower ends of the feeder tubes so that it is impossible to choke the wicks at the bottom of the conductor and yet the feeder tubes may be so located that it is certain that the wicks are dangling in the oil in the conduit.

While certain desirable embodiments of the invention have herein been illustrated by way of example, and while insome instances specific reference has been made to a spinning ring, the invention is equally useful when incorporated in twisting frames or the like, and it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications and uses falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination in a textile frame having a ring assembly comprising a supporting annulus of oil-impervious material having a bottom wall and an upright outer annular wall and a traveler guiding ring of oil-pervious material seated on the bottom of the supporting annulus and fitting snugly within said upright annular wall, the lower outer edge of the traveler guiding ring being beveled thereby to provide an annular oil-receiving channel, a feeder pipe of an internal diameter of the order of 4 inch, having one end in axial alignment with an opening extending through the upright wall of the supporting annulus to the oil-receiving channel, said end of the pipe bemg permanently secured to said upright wall,

the other end portion of the pipe being downwardly directed, a wick passing through the pipe and terminating at one end in said oil-receiving channel, the other end of the wick projecting below the lower end of the pipe, and means operative constantly to supply the latter end of the wick with oil.

2. In the combination set forth in claim 1, said constantly operative supply means comprising a conduit having an aperture in its wall in which the lower end of the downwardly directed portion of the feeder pipe is fixed leak-tight, the lower end of the wick depending into the conduit, and means for keeping the conduit filled with oil.

3. In combination in a textile frame having a ring assembly comprising a supporting annulus and a traveler guiding ring mounted on said annulus, the parts being so constructed andarranged as to provide an annular oil-receiving channel coaxial with the ring from which oil is continually supplied to the traveler guiding surface of the ring, means carried by the supporting annulus defining an oil reservoir which freely communicates with the annular oil channel, a feeder pipe of an internal diameter of the order of $5 of an inch, said feeder pipe being of inverted U-shape with its legs vertical, the lower end of one leg being so positioned as to deliver oil into said reservoir, a wick passing through the feeder pipe and projecting from opposite ends, respectively, of the latter, one end of the wick being disposed within said reservoir, and means operative constantly to supply oil to the other end of the wick. v

4. In combination in a textile frame wherein a ring rail supports a ring assembly comprising a supporting annulus and a traveler guiding ring of oil-pervious material mounted on the annulus, the parts being so con structed and arranged as to provide an annular oilreceiving channel coaxial. with the ring and from which oil is continually supplied tothe ring, a feeder pipe of substantially inverted U-shape having its legs vertical and having the lower end of one leg so arranged that oil delivered therefrom will flow into said annular oil-receiving channel, a cord of braided fiber glass substantially filling the feeder pipe and having its ends proj.ect' ing from opposite ends respectively, of the feeder pipe, a rigid tubular part permanently fixed to the ring rail and having an opening in its wall through which the other end portion of the feeder pipe passes, leak-tight, and means for keeping said tubular part filled with oil under super-atmospheric pressure. V

5. Lubricating apparatus for a textile frame of the kind wherein a ring rail of conventional typesupports a traveler guiding ring, said ring having a traveler guiding surface, and means mounted on the ting rail providing an oil-receiving chamber associated with the ring and from which oil is conducted to the traveler guiding surface of the ring, arigid feeder pipe for supplying oil to said chamber, said feeder pipe extending: first upwardly from a supply point, spaced rearwardl y from the rear surface of the ring rail, and thence forwardly and above the ring rail toward the ring, a wick of inorganic material substantially filling the feeder pipe and having its ends projecting from the opposite ends of the feeder pipe and which is operative to prevent free flow of oil through the pipe but which conducts oil upwardly by capillary action from the supply point, the wick having one end in position to supply oil to fill the oil-receiving chamber, and means operative" to keep the other tender the wick always wet with oil.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 having means 'defining a reservoir for oil mounted on the ring rail and which is in constant communication with the oil receiving chamber. which. is associated with the ring, the- 8 and the lower end of the other leg located at the supply Point 7 Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said lastnarned means comprises a substantiallyhorizontal conduit, located to the rear of the ring rail which has an opening in which the rear lower end portion of the feeder pipe is fitted, leak-tight, and means for supplying oil under pressure to said conduit.

Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said lastnarned means comprises a substantially horizontal conduit, located to the rear of the ring rail, which has an opening in which the rear lower end portion of the feeder pipe is pivotally fitted for swivel movement about a vertical axis. A

"9. Apparatus according to claim '5, wherein said lastnamed means comprises a substantially horizontal conduit, located to th e rear of thering rail, which has an opening in which is fitted a rigid stand pipe and wherein the rear lower end portion of the feeder pipe is telescopica'lly and pivotally fitted in the stand pipe for swinging movement about the axis of the stand pipe.

10. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said lastnamed means comprises a substantially horizontal conduit, located to, the rear of the ring rail, which has an opening in which is fitteda rigid stand pipe and wherein the rear lower end portion of the feeder pipe is removably telescopically fittedin the stand pipe for freedom of swivel movement of its upper forward part about the vertical axis of the stand pipe 1'1. Apparatus accoi'clingto claim 5, wherein said lastnamed means comprises a substantially horizontal conduit, located to the rear of the ring rail, which has an opening in which is fitted a rigid stand pipe, the latter having at its lower end an opening elevated from the bottom of the conduit,- and wherein the feeder pipe has a rear lower end fitted to the stand pipe, the lower extremi ty of which terminates short of the lower end of the stand pipe so that the end of the wick projecting from the lower end 'of the feeder pipe hangs therefrom above the bottom of the conduit. 7 V

12-.- Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said last named means comprises a substantially horizontal conduit, located to the rear ofthe ring rail, which has an opening in' which is fitted a rigid stand pipe, the latter having a lower beveled end, the apex of which has contact with the bottom of the conduit, thereby limiting the proximity of the open lower end of the stand pipe with respect to the :bottom of the conduit, and wherein the rear lower endof the feeder pipe is rem ovably fitted in the stand pipe for swinging movement of its upper end about the vertical axis of the, stand pipe, the lower end of the feeder pipe terminatingbetween the base and apex of the beveled endof the stand pipe x I 1 3. Apparatus according to claim 5,- wherein said lastnarned means comprises a substantially horizontal conduit-,lbcated to the rear of the ringrail, which hasan opening in "which isfitted a rigid stand pip e, the latter having a lower {beveled end, the beveled end bearing against the bottom of the conduit and providing a lateral opening at the lower end of the stand pipe, and wherein the lower end of the feeder pipe is swivelly fitted to the stand pipe with its lower end terminating'within the later'al opening of the stand-pipe and beingheld there by en a 'anem ot the bent pen-i611 er the feeder ipe at the junction of the lower and up er portions" thereof with the upper end of the stand pipe.

References-Cited 'in'the' file or this patent FOREIGN PATENTS" 

